2026 has been an excellent year for gaming, as it has already seen multiple high-quality releases left and right, both in the form of brand-new original IPs (like Crimson Desert and Pragmata) and long-awaited sequels in beloved existing franchises (like Resident Evil Requiem and Nioh 3). And the best part? 2026 is far from over yet, since the next eight months will be filled to the brim with even more excellent video games.
Many of those highly anticipated new titles are follow-ups to some of the best and most beloved masterpieces in the history of this medium, and their die-hard fans can’t wait any longer to get their hands on them. From open-world AAA adventures to cartoony indie roguelikes, the following 5 upcoming games are on their way to joining the GOTY 2026 discussion.
Returnal – Saros
Housemarque Is Returning To Deliver Another Fast-Paced Shooter With Roguelike Elements
Returnal quickly became one of the PS4’s sleeper hits back in 2022, as gamers were impressed by its addictive and engaging third-person shooter gameplay that also boasted psychological horror elements and brilliant roguelike mechanics. Finnish studio Housemarque has been working in the industry for decades, but this is the game that put it on the map and allowed it to gain a sizable following.
The studio’s next PlayStation exclusive, Saros, is coming out at the tail-end of April 2026, and Returnal fans couldn’t be more excited about it. Truth be told, this technically isn’t a direct sequel, and it’s more of a spiritual successor instead. But that doesn’t really matter, as it will seemingly bring back the previous game’s excellent gameplay loop and elevate it even further with more weapons, more enemies, more challenges, and a brand-new, constantly-changing setting that perfectly complements its roguelike aspects.
Rhythm Heaven Megamix - Rhythm Heaven Groove
A Colorful Rhythm Game With A Lot Of Personality
When it comes to the rhythm game genre, you can't get anything better or more charming than the Rhythm Heaven series. These games are as entertaining as they are bizarre, and Nintendo loyalists have been enjoying them for more than two decades. Unfortunately, its last mainline entry, Rhythm Heaven Megamix (which compiles the 100 best mini-games in the entire series), came out over ten years ago, and fans have been begging for a new one ever since.
Fortunately, they won’t have to wait much longer, because Rhythm Heaven Groove is releasing exclusively on Nintendo Switch (and, by extension, Switch 2) this July. This game was originally revealed back in 2025 but completely disappeared from the public eye until it was reannounced a few weeks ago. Not only does Groove look as colorful and delightful as ever, but it will also feature a collection of brand-new songs and mini-games, which will be a much-needed breath of fresh air. After all, the last fully original entry in this series that wasn’t a compilation was Rhythm Heaven Fever, which came out all the way back in 2011.
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia - Castlevania: Belmont's Curse
Celebrating Castlevania's 40th Anniversary By Going Back To Its 2D Roots
2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the iconic Castlevania franchise, and despite some initial concerns from fans, Konami has already confirmed that they plan to celebrate this milestone in a huge way, with the biggest one being the upcoming release of a new 2D sidescroller titled Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. Technically speaking, the last entry in the series that wasn’t a remaster or a collection was 2014’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, but that game belongs to a subseries that has its own action-oriented gameplay and bizarre timeline.
Instead, Belmont's Curse will function as a sequel to Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, an incredible 2D masterpiece that was released for the Nintendo DS back in 2008, and is still highly regarded as one of the bestgames in the “MetroidVania” subgenre. While not much is known about this upcoming sequel yet, Belmont's Curse shares one specific element with Order of Ecclesia that has already filled fans with excitement: it will also have a female protagonist (named Sonia Belmont).
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
